Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama made the European Political Community (EPC) summit a theatrical show of diplomacy and ambition. As torrential rain poured down over Tirana on Friday, Rama’s charisma and enthusiasm for European unity took center stage as he welcomed more than 40 leaders from all over the continent.
A Leader with Flair and Purpose
Fresh from his fourth straight electoral victory, Edi Rama greeted the crowd with the panache of a veteran showman. Campaigning on a pledge to bring Albania into the European Union within 2030, Rama reveled in his reelection triumph. He greeted Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni with a goofy kneel and extended France’s President Emmanuel Macron a big bro hug, remarking with a smile, “Here’s the Sun King,” just as the clouds broke up.
🇦🇱🇮🇹 Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama welcomed Giorgia Meloni by kneeling on the red carpet. pic.twitter.com/yJwwh9HNdx
— Update NEWS (@UpdateNews724) May 16, 2025
Rama’s towering six-foot-seven frame, distinctive sneakers, and navy blue umbrella were all part of the theatrics. But there stood firmly behind the theatrics a clear message — Albania is prepared for Europe. “From Tirana, where all of Europe has come today and where the whole world will be watching, I say hello to you,” he posted on Instagram.
Humour Amid Diplomacy
Not even the weather was exempt from Rama’s sense of humor. “There was suspicion, but it became European weather forecast institute scientific evidence that the continuing — and not original — rain was delivered by the British delegation yesterday morning,” he quipped to a burst of laughter from the crowd.
In an unusual aside of humor for so much top-level diplomacy, Rama organized a opening sequence that reimagined leaders as AI-created babies, many still wearing their adult beards and glasses, each uttering: “Welcome to Albania.”
A Stage for EU Expansion and Ukraine
As Rama entertained, the summit tackled serious issues. Ukraine took center stage on the agenda, along with migration and EU enlargement discussions. The EPC, initiated by President Macron following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, is now an essential platform for cooperation on the continent beyond the borders of the EU.
Rama accepted Albania’s small size but welcomed its increasing voice in affairs of Europe. “It’s true that I am the tallest among them, but I head a country which is one of the smallest, and for us it’s already a big honour to have the chance to host this summit,” he said to AFP.
As Tirana played host, Rama’s message was clear: Albania may be small, but it stands tall in its European aspirations.
